Tank-ball.



G. C. REEVES.

- TANK BALL.

- APPucATmu HLED OCT-4,1915.

Patented Sept. 11,1917.

ated, is receive GEOEGEZGQLBEEVIESQ OAKJLBARK ILLINQIS.

" TREK-Sikkim;

specificationanfizettersPatent.

, Patentedfieptt M, 191'? "Amalieattonifiied flotober-eyml5; SeriM'NmitgOST.

'5 do rzhereby zdeclaresi-that the followingor issa?fiill,=.iolear;. -aiidfexactide- P- scription ofthe;same reierencevbeingihadto the accompanying'drawingssiand tol th nuform a partsofltiiis specification.

More on lesswtnouble': hasrbeena'experieneed in the past (11184301113116'shfll'ttliig Of'zilihfi" usual type of flexible: tank ball; used withathe 'v'alve for flushingorasupplytanks Many's.exped1- ents have beemdeviseda imithe construction of:

this type of tanksballs:toa -seeui'e1;the;.desined v sealing efiectandk t thessameiti'me strengthen.

the ball to:preventv*breakagewand deformation thereofi aiiteraconstantsuse. t1.hasc-loeen v the ractice i n== some-instances to: eonstnnct the all valve ielosure:anirtwoapartspmakin the upper haltaotavrelativelyastififi (innate fiber or th6*-:l ik8-,1MidiithGhlQWGI? Y t flexible ba1l=--orwsphericalwportio thereto in any snitablesmann thrust of the nod-s te which nected and by Whit: it is guide(Island flctil d =bywtheisti upper halt of the ball. Other typeszflo tank? deal-ls have been made wherein-a reinforein *bodywnot integral withtheeball isapl' ea; nected withfither :Il-l3el'ibI' "Of% ithe 11" upon final assembly ofithe'npartsWwhiehv are: made separate and then-z 'unitedwinrazlfinal' vulcaniz-- 'ing operation. In N v has rapidly detenior'atedwwith 'rtendency V of siieh: cases? the structure the separatelymonstructed;partssto'separate under the action'a ot'watemandhoonstantaanse.

Such constructions;moneovert ai e obj'ectionable due-to the expensewfsmanutacturet and time and :labor "reqniredr utoseeonstmet the same.

The tankixball'construetectaceordingto nv invention is madesintegrali zth roughont wit promamentst-v in bal'l eisvconand-icon 0nvtheothe1flvhandthe lowenportionzof' the j.:It:is amobjectthereforer of this-invention toiconstruct. atank ball consisting? of" a univneiniiorci rig; means-molded th'ereintoand ra- 1 (ii-ally? disposedw inf: the ipper 1 portion of thei merals of reference;markedthereon whiohl.

iclosure.

7 It isalsoan object of. this inventiona-to -construetai tank ball-"formed of one piece of: material withathe': matenialvformed to afford -reinforcing wribs -.-t0 Withstand i the topermit'areadywithdztawal=-oftheoore from a the -formed ball Withflllt? necessitating a rearrangement v of 'l the {parts or permanent talterationainthe form ofthe ball;

- "It I is also: an1' important object of? this in- 1 Mention to I construct: tanki 'ball; with: a :loead formed on the lowerportion thereof to stnengthem the ballr andvresifst deformation thereof.

*I'tL-is furthermore: an l important obj ect of 1 this "invention to construct: a tank ball of 8116111 designs as :toapermit "molding-i thereof :ini'atsingleopeI ationand-Withdrawal of the core? ltherefromw without necessitating nearrangement of the *moldor permanent alteration in? Fthe? ball so Fformed, and sa'id ball valve' provicled withi'sreinforcin-g' means actzingrxtoawretain the ball? inshape I daring use eta-ry "piece-of materialrimoliled into proper fonmi-andp-provided' with. internal integral th'ereof 'With Ithewwal-ls of. thevballs thickened v at the, p'ortion receiving'themost wear to insure l'ong life otthe ball When'in use.

It is finally. an'object of this invention to provide an: improved" type" of -tank ballstruc- ."ture -vvhich, due" to its nnitary construction .anddesign; canbe more cheaply and easily "'"mamifa'cturedi than has-heretoforebeen possible, and-is capable of: continued use Without deformation, and; being '-unitary,.--is .entirely free irom separation of component parts oommmon' imtank ballsas heretofore constructed.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an exterior view of a tank ball embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2'isfa central vertical section taken therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section taken through the tank ball, showing the same associated with the core on which it is formed.

Fig. 5 is a. view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating the relation of the parts during withdrawal of the core of the mold.

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings:

The device is substantially of spherical shape and consists of a ball of rubber or elastic composition denoted by the reference numeral 1, having an enlarged portion 2, at the upper end thereof in which is molded or embedded a metal ferrule 3, to receive attaching or actuating means for the device. The lower half of the ball 1, is thickened at the portion denoted by the reference numeral 4, and an opening or aperture is formed in the lower end of the ball, and the edge at said aperture may or may not have a small head 5, formed therearound. However, the bead is an important consideration, inasmuch as it forms substantially a min forcing ring which resists expansion of the lower portion of the ball and thereby acts to prevent elongation or similar deformation of the ball after continued use. Of course, the bead may be formed on the interior or exterior of the ball, or on both the interior and exterior, and may be at the mouth or removed a distance therefrom, acting in any event for the purpose pointed out, and also stiffening the lower portion of the structure.

Formed on the interior of the ball 1, and disposed radially around the enlarged portion 2, and mergin integrally into the same, are integral reinfdrcing ribs 6, which act to stiffen the upper portion of the ball to resist breaking and deforming stresses imparted thereto by the attaching means connected in the metal ferrule 3.

The mold core for forming the interior of the ball consists of a stem 7, having a ball shaped head 8, and with recesses disposed radially in the upper portion thereof de- -noted by the reference numerals 9, by which the ribs 6, of the ball are formed. A curved recess 10, is also provided around the upper end of the stem 7, in the lower portion of the ball 8, to form the rib 5, around the lower portion of the ball formed from the core when such head is desired. ball is first formed, the position thereof upon the core 8, is as shown in Fig. 4, and

struction may s cribechcomprising an When the the core may then be easily withdrawn from which admits of making the samein one piece and operation and which thereby effects a great saving in the cost of manufacture thereof. 7

The integralreinforcing ribs 6, formed on the interior of the ball serve effectually to stiffen the upper portion thereof to. resist the tension and compression stresses transmitted thereto through the ferrule 3, which is connected to the attaching means for the ball. These ribs, owing to their integral and continuous connection with the interior of the ball, permit the upper portion of the ball therebetween to be made relatively thin, if desired. The thickened wall portion 4, of the ball is well adapted to resist appreciable wear or deformation due to contact shown in Fig. 2., It isthis simple manner of forming the ball' with the seat provided .in the mechanism in which the ball is connected for use and the head 5, acts to prevent deforming the ball by elongation when subjected to the suction of theoutlet pipe which it closes.

I am aware that various details of conbe varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A one-piece tank ball of the class de scribed, comprising a rounded hollow member of elastic material having an opening in its bottom, reinforcing ribs formed integrally on the and a bead tion thereof.

2. A one-piece tank ball of the class described, comprising an elastic hollow rounded member, an enlargement formed at the upper end thereof, a ferrule disposed in said enlargement, and reinforcing ribs formed integrally on the upper inner portion of said member enlargement.

3. A one-piece tank ball of the class described, comprising an elastic hollow rounded member, an enlargement formed at the upper end thereof, a ferrule disposed in said enlargement, and reinforcing ribs formed integrally on the 'upper inner portion of said member and interior upper portion thereof,

and radiating from said radiating from said enminating at substantially the member.

4. A one-piece tank ball of the class de elastic hollow rounded member having an aperture in the lower portion thereof, an enlargement formed at the upper end thereof, a ferrule disposed in.

middle of said said enlargement, reinforcing ribs formed integrally on the upper inner portion of said member and radiating from said enlargement, and a bead formed around the aperture in said member. L} 4 5. A one-piece tank ball of the'cl'ass described, comprising an elastic hollow rounded member having an aperture in the lower portion thereof, an enlargement formed at the upper end thereof, a ferrule disposed in said enlargement, reinforcing ribs formed integrally on the upper inner portion of said member and radiating from said enlargement, and a bead formed around the aperture in said member, said member being thickened intermediate its upper and lower portions. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE C. REEVES. -Witnesses:

CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr. EARL M. HARDINE. 

